January 27, 2020

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

A total of 34 Canadians are on the rosters or have committed to play for Perfect Game’s top 25 JUCO ranked teams heading into the 2020 season.

While the No. 1 McLennan Highlanders don’t have any Canucks, the No. 2 ranked Iowa Western Reivers -- always a pipeline for Canadians have former Abbotsford Cardinals C Kayden Beauregard (Abbotsford, BC), former Toronto Mets 1B Noah Hull (Toronto, Ont.) and ex-Vauxhall Jet RHP Evan O’Toole (Bridgewater, NS) on this year’s roster.

Those returning on the top 25 ranked teams, compiled by PG’s Brian Sakowski, who earned Canadian Baseball Network Honourable mention honours in the spring of 2019, are former Ontario Blue Jays RHP Jacob Kush (Guelph, Ont.) of Northwest Florida State and Toronto Met RP Adam Parker (Toronto, Ont.) of the Jefferson College Vikings. Kush was 9-4 with a 3.18 ERA in 17 games making 10 starts as walked 32 and struck out 86 in 68 innings.

Parker worked in relief in 11 games going 4-0 with a 2.42 ERA as he walked 22 and struck out 22 in 26 innings.

2020 Preseason Junior College Top 25

Rank Team State 2019 Record 2019 Rank

1. McLennan, TX 42-17 13

2. Iowa Western, IA 52-11 2
C Kayden Beauregard, Abbotsford, BC, 1B Noah Hull, Toronto, Ont. and RHP Evan O’Toole, Bridgewater, NS,

3. Wabash Valley, IL 55-4 5
OF Jack Marlin, Okotoks, Alta., OF Bailey Coish, Fort McMurray, Alta., C Ryan Faragher, London, Ont., OF Kendall Keller, Pilot Butte, Sask., RHP Hayden Pilmer, Leamington, Ont. and OF Ethan Sanasie-Edwards, Brampton, Ont.

4. Central Arizona. AZ 50-20 1
LHP Matthew Wilkinson, Okotoks, Alta.

5. Chipola, FL 38-20 20
RHP Drew Howard, Whitby, Ont.

6. San Jacinto, Tex. 43-11 NR

INF Austin Gomm, Mississauga, Ont.

8. Northwest Florida State, FL 44-12 7
RHP Jacob Kush, Guelph, Ont. and C-OF Blake Buckle, Milton, Ont.

14. Johnson County KS 46-12 23
LHP Colby Ring, Langley, BC.

16. Seminole State OK 39-14 NR
OF Samuel Fortier, Pointe-Claire, Que. and INF Anthony Marcano, Sainte-Anne, Que.

17. Crowder, MO 47-16 NR
LHP Graham Brunner, Sherwood Park, Alta., RHP Xavier Leduc, Montreal, Que., RHP Bryce Libke, Saskatoon, Sask., OF Kenny Di Clemente, Oakville, Ont., C Simon Grinberg, Kitchener, Ont., Ricardo Sanchez, Okotoks, Ont. and SS Dryden Howse Calgary, Alta.

18. LSU-Eunice, LA 51-8 22
RHP Nathan Holmes, Mississauga, Ont., C-OF Ayden Makarus, Aidrie, Alta. and RHP Jackson Fraser (Swift Current, Sask.)

20. Howard, Tex., 32-35 NR

Nicholas Thibodeau, Burlington, Ont.

21. San Joaquin Delta, Calif., 39-9 11

RHP Kevin Millar, Georgetown, Ont.

23. Jefferson County, MO 47-10 NR
INF Leo Markotic, Mississauga, Ont., LHP Adam Parker, Toronto, Ont., OF Noel McGarry-Doyle, Maple, Ont. and RHP Lukas Touma, Whitby, Ont.

25. State College of Florida, FL 38-20 NR
IF-OF Remi Patry, Gatineau, Que..